Thank you for your interest in joining the Larimer County Search and Rescue Team.
What is it like to be a SAR volunteer?
- All positions on the team are volunteer. There are no paid positions.
- The average Team member spends over 250 hours a year in training classes, field practices, Public Education programs, and SAR missions.
- Each member is responsible for supplying their own required equipment at a cost of between $2,500 and $3,000 depending on their field rating.
- SAR volunteers provide their own transportation and gas for training and missions.
- Our typical mission starts in the evening, lasts all night, and finishes early the next morning.
- Your availability to leave for a mission at any time, day or night, weekend or weekday, is critical to your success and contribution to the team. We understand that no one can respond all the time, but flexibility is critical. It’s important to be honest with yourself and the team about your time commitments and availability to respond.
- Being a SAR member is both rewarding and challenging, physically and emotionally. We experience the joy of returning a lost loved one, but we also experience the shock of traumatic injury, and in a worst case scenario, the death of the person we were trying to help.
What are the requirements to be considered for team membership?
- The minimum age for applying to the team is 18.
- A background and driving record check are required and will be conducted by Larimer County Sheriff’s Office during the application process.
- There is a non-refundable application fee and upon acceptance, a non-refundable fee for the initial training program.
- Team members are required to supply a minimum list of materials and equipment.
- All applicants chosen for new member training must be able to attend all training sessions during the 3-month program (March to May). This generally includes classroom trainings each Wednesday evening and one full-day field training each weekend.
- Prior SAR and outdoor experience is great, but not required. The same is true for medical certifications. We do require AHA CPR and Basic First Aid certifications for all members, but include those classes in our new member training.
- You should be physically fit and able to hike four miles over varied terrain with a minimum of 1,000 feet of elevation gain carrying a 25 to 40 pound pack.
Applying to LCSAR
LCSAR accepts new members on an annual basis in the Spring, with mandatory orientation sessions, applications and interviews happening in the fall of the preceding year. The class size is limited, and we are generally not in a position to accept all applicants into the program. We do not accept new team members in MRA recertification years.
NEXT NEW MEMBER TRAINING – SPRING 2027.
LAST DATE TO SEND JOINING INTEREST FORM – NOVEMBER 1, 2026.
If it sounds like SAR might be a good fit for you, please complete our Joining Interest Form and our Applicant Coordinator will reach out to answer any questions you have and put you on the list to receive information as we get closer to the next new member training date.